Welding helmets have a ergonomic problem that also can become a safety issue: they're just too blamed hot to wear down all the time. Even with the modern electrically-tinted screens, workers looking for some air often flip their helmets back up, and sometimes continue on welding without 'em.

My
air-conditioning unit would use a couple of well-placed peltiers and a fan to cool the welder's head, and improve the whole attitude of the local industry.

Steel workers will be in better spirits; the union will accept lower wages, and the American steel industry will survive without ridiculous tariffs.

Having done a little bit of welding with my grandfather's old acetylene torch, I know that the masks are a bit stuffy. Perhaps not something as complex as you describe with the peltiers, but just an exaust fan or two would be all thats needed.

I did think you could get water-cooled helmets (I used to have an interest in this sort of thing one time), but I can't find any links. This would also be useful for conditions where the visor absorbs enough UV energy to start emitting harmful levels of IR radiation into the eyes (can happen when working with quartz glass).

We have something close to this in our workshops. A battery powered belt mounted fan blowing air through a microfilter which exhausts through a series of holes in the headband blowing clean cool air over the welders face. Ok not chilled but it does the job. Could probably be adapted for cooling wedding helmets too.

Hey cool link. This is one of the side-benefits I love about the bakery. If you want to know anything about anything but can't seem to find it, you simply propose it here as an idea, and eventually 20 search-jitsu warriors deliver it on a silver platter. People with evil intentions could really take advantage of that.

Hey that site features some great shots of second rate catalog models dressed up in riduculous health and safety gear, trying to look cool and sexy. Is there a fetish website for this I wonder? Fly, search-jitsu-san!

These modern helmets that allow you to see are brilliant. and becoming cheaper. On a related issue, if your wear a mask to keep out dust, during routing or using an angle grinder, to keep breathing dust then your eye protection will mist up. The overwhelming result is to remove either the mask or eye protection. Never mind ear protection! maybe some sort of economic support should be given to manufacturers of desirable high saftey protection. it is very difficult to advise an adult worker on protecting his health.